diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 91961534..a47a726b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ prog/netcheck/netcheck
 prog/docker_tls_args/docker_tls_args
 testing/cover/cover
 testing/runner/runner
-tools/bin
-tools/build
 releases
 .weaver.uptodate
 .weavedns.uptodate
diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a7445252
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "tools"]
+	path = tools
+	url = https://github.com/weaveworks/build-tools
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index d987e04c..0439e89b 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ install:
   - go get ./...
 
 script:
-  - bin/lint .
   - make tests
 
 after_success:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3dca5c45..e65ca67c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 PUBLISH=publish_weave publish_weaveexec
 
 .DEFAULT: all
-.PHONY: all update tests publish $(PUBLISH) clean clean-bin prerequisites build travis run-smoketests
+.PHONY: all update tests lint publish $(PUBLISH) clean clean-bin prerequisites build travis run-smoketests
 
 # If you can use docker without being root, you can do "make SUDO="
 SUDO=sudo
@@ -16,10 +16,9 @@ WEAVEWAIT_EXE=prog/weavewait/weavewait
 WEAVEHOSTS_EXE=prog/weavehosts/weavehosts
 NETCHECK_EXE=prog/netcheck/netcheck
 DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE=prog/docker_tls_args/docker_tls_args
-COVER_EXE=testing/cover/cover
 RUNNER_EXE=testing/runner/runner
 
-EXES=$(WEAVER_EXE) $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(WEAVEHOSTS_EXE) $(NETCHECK_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE) $(COVER_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE)
+EXES=$(WEAVER_EXE) $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(WEAVEHOSTS_EXE) $(NETCHECK_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE)
 
 WEAVER_UPTODATE=.weaver.uptodate
 WEAVEEXEC_UPTODATE=.weaveexec.uptodate
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ NETGO_CHECK=@strings $@ | grep cgo_stub\\\.go >/dev/null || { \
 }
 BUILD_FLAGS=-ldflags "-extldflags \"-static\" -X main.version $(WEAVE_VERSION)" -tags netgo
 
-all: $(WEAVE_EXPORT) $(COVER_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE)
+all: $(WEAVE_EXPORT) $(RUNNER_EXE)
 
 travis: $(EXES)
 
@@ -78,11 +77,10 @@ $(NETCHECK_EXE): prog/netcheck/netcheck.go
 $(SIGPROXY_EXE): prog/sigproxy/main.go
 $(WEAVEWAIT_EXE): prog/weavewait/main.go net/*.go
 $(WEAVEHOSTS_EXE): prog/weavehosts/weavehosts.go
-$(COVER_EXE): testing/cover/cover.go
 $(RUNNER_EXE): testing/runner/runner.go
 $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE): prog/docker_tls_args/*.go
 
-$(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEHOSTS_EXE) $(COVER_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE):
+$(WEAVEWAIT_EXE) $(SIGPROXY_EXE) $(WEAVEHOSTS_EXE) $(RUNNER_EXE) $(DOCKERTLSARGS_EXE):
 	go get -tags netgo ./$(@D)
 	go build $(BUILD_FLAGS) -o $@ ./$(@D)
 
@@ -108,8 +106,14 @@ $(WEAVE_EXPORT): $(IMAGES_UPTODATE)
 $(DOCKER_DISTRIB):
 	curl -o $(DOCKER_DISTRIB) $(DOCKER_DISTRIB_URL)
 
-tests: $(COVER_EXE)
-	@test/units.sh
+tests: tools/.git
+	tools/test
+
+lint: tools/.git
+	tools/lint -nocomment -notestpackage .
+
+tools/.git:
+	git submodule update --init
 
 $(PUBLISH): publish_%: $(IMAGES_UPTODATE)
 	$(SUDO) docker tag -f $(DOCKERHUB_USER)/$* $(DOCKERHUB_USER)/$*:$(WEAVE_VERSION)
@@ -122,7 +126,7 @@ publish: $(PUBLISH)
 
 clean-bin:
 	-$(SUDO) docker rmi $(IMAGES)
-	go clean -r ./...
+	go clean -r $(addprefix ./,$(dir $(EXES)))
 	rm -f $(EXES) $(IMAGES_UPTODATE) $(WEAVE_EXPORT)
 
 clean: clean-bin
diff --git a/bin/lint b/bin/lint
deleted file mode 100755
index 32e791fb..00000000
--- a/bin/lint
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,86 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-# This scipt lints go files for common errors.
-#
-# Its runs gofmt and go vet, and optionally golint and
-# gocyclo, if they are installed.
-#
-# With no arguments, it lints the current files staged
-# for git commit.  Or you can pass it explicit filenames
-# (or directories) and it will lint them.
-#
-# To use this script automatically, run:
-#   ln -s ../../bin/lint .git/hooks/pre-commit
-
-set -eu
-
-function lint_go {
-	filename="$1"
-	result=0
-
-	if [ -n "$(gofmt -l "${filename}")" ]; then
-		result=1
-		echo "${filename}: run gofmt -w ${filename}!"
-	fi
-
-	go tool vet "${filename}" || result=$?
-
-	# golint is completely optional.  If you don't like it
-	# don't have it installed.
-	if type golint >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		# golint doesn't set an exit code it seems
-		lintoutput=$(golint "${filename}" | grep -vE 'comment|dot imports')
-		if [ "$lintoutput" != "" ]; then
-			result=1
-			echo "$lintoutput"
-		fi
-	fi
-
-	# gocyclo is completely optional.  If you don't like it
-	# don't have it installed.  Also never blocks a commit,
-	# it just warns.
-	if type gocyclo >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-		gocyclo -over 25 "${filename}" | while read line; do
-			echo "${filename}": higher than 25 cyclomatic complexity - "${line}"
-		done
-	fi
-
-	return $result
-}
-
-function lint {
-	filename="$1"
-	ext="${filename##*\.}"
-
-	# Don't lint this script
-	if [ "${filename}" = "bin/lint" ]; then
-		return
-	fi
-
-	# Don't lint files that don't exist
-	if ! [ -a "${filename}" ]; then
-		return
-	fi
-
-	case "$ext" in
-		go) lint_go "${filename}"
-		;;
-	esac
-}
-
-function lint_files {
-	lint_result=0
-	while read filename; do
-		lint "${filename}" || lint_result=1
-	done
-	exit $lint_result
-}
-
-function list_files {
-	if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
-		find "$@" -type f
-	else
-		git diff --cached --name-only
-	fi
-}
-
-list_files "$@" | lint_files
diff --git a/circle.yml b/circle.yml
index 655c01dc..f590e330 100644
--- a/circle.yml
+++ b/circle.yml
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ dependencies:
 
 test:
   override:
+    - cd $SRCDIR; make lint:
+        parallel: true
     - docker run -v /home/ubuntu:/home/go -e COVERDIR=test/coverage -e SLOW=true -e CIRCLECI -e CIRCLE_BUILD_NUM -e CIRCLE_NODE_TOTAL -e CIRCLE_NODE_INDEX weaveworks/weave-test:
         parallel: true
     - docker run -v /var/run/docker.sock:/run/docker.sock -v /home/ubuntu:/home/go -e COVERAGE=true weaveworks/weave-build:
diff --git a/test/gen_coverage_reports.sh b/test/gen_coverage_reports.sh
index 567cb0f3..8f9f3816 100755
--- a/test/gen_coverage_reports.sh
+++ b/test/gen_coverage_reports.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ if [ -n "$CIRCLECI" ]; then
     done
 fi
 
-$DIR/../testing/cover/cover
+go get github.com/weaveworks/build-tools/cover
 cover ./coverage/* >profile.cov
 go tool cover -html=profile.cov -o coverage.html
 go tool cover -func=profile.cov -o coverage.txt
diff --git a/test/units.sh b/test/units.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index a630a6ab..00000000
--- a/test/units.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/bash
-
-set -e
-
-DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
-SLOW=${SLOW-}
-GO_TEST_ARGS="-tags netgo -cpu 4 -timeout 8m"
-if [ -n "$SLOW" -o "$1" = "-slow" ]; then
-    GO_TEST_ARGS="$GO_TEST_ARGS -race -covermode=atomic"
-
-    if [ -n "$COVERDIR" ] ; then
-        coverdir="$COVERDIR"
-    else
-        coverdir=$(mktemp -d coverage.XXXXXXXXXX)
-    fi
-
-    mkdir -p $coverdir
-fi
-
-fail=0
-
-TESTDIRS=$(find . -type f -name '*_test.go' | xargs -n1 dirname | grep -v prog | sort -u)
-
-# If running on circle, use the scheduler to work out what tests to run on what shard
-if [ -n "$CIRCLECI" -a -z "$NO_SCHEDULER" ]; then
-    TESTDIRS=$(echo $TESTDIRS | "$DIR/sched" sched units-$CIRCLE_BUILD_NUM $CIRCLE_NODE_TOTAL $CIRCLE_NODE_INDEX)
-    echo $TESTDIRS
-fi
-
-for dir in $TESTDIRS; do
-    go get -t -tags netgo $dir
-
-    GO_TEST_ARGS_RUN="$GO_TEST_ARGS"
-    if [ -n "$SLOW" ]; then
-        COVERPKGS=$((go list $dir; go list -f '{{join .Deps "\n"}}' $dir | grep "weaveworks") | paste -s -d,)
-        output=$(mktemp $coverdir/unit.XXXXXXXXXX)
-        GO_TEST_ARGS_RUN="$GO_TEST_ARGS -coverprofile=$output -coverpkg=$COVERPKGS"
-    fi
-
-    START=$(date +%s)
-    if ! go test $GO_TEST_ARGS_RUN $dir ; then
-        fail=1
-    fi
-    RUNTIME=$(( $(date +%s) - $START ))
-
-    # Report test runtime when running on circle, to help scheduler
-    if [ -n "$CIRCLECI" -a -z "$NO_SCHEDULER" ]; then
-        "$DIR/sched" time $dir $RUNTIME
-    fi
-done
-
-if [ -n "$SLOW" -a -z "$COVERDIR" ] ; then
-    $DIR/../testing/cover/cover $coverdir/* >profile.cov
-    rm -rf $coverdir
-    go tool cover -html=profile.cov -o=coverage.html
-    go tool cover -func=profile.cov | tail -n1
-fi
-
-exit $fail
diff --git a/testing/cover/cover.go b/testing/cover/cover.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 4c5fcfd7..00000000
--- a/testing/cover/cover.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,97 +0,0 @@
-package main
-
-import (
-	"fmt"
-	"os"
-	"sort"
-
-	"golang.org/x/tools/cover"
-)
-
-func merge(p1, p2 *cover.Profile) *cover.Profile {
-	output := cover.Profile{
-		FileName: p1.FileName,
-		Mode:     p1.Mode,
-	}
-
-	i, j := 0, 0
-	for i < len(p1.Blocks) && j < len(p2.Blocks) {
-		bi, bj := p1.Blocks[i], p2.Blocks[j]
-		if bi.StartLine == bj.StartLine && bi.StartCol == bj.StartCol {
-
-			if bi.EndLine != bj.EndLine ||
-				bi.EndCol != bj.EndCol ||
-				bi.NumStmt != bj.NumStmt {
-				panic("Not run on same source!")
-			}
-
-			output.Blocks = append(output.Blocks, cover.ProfileBlock{
-				StartLine: bi.StartLine,
-				StartCol:  bi.StartCol,
-				EndLine:   bi.EndLine,
-				EndCol:    bi.EndCol,
-				NumStmt:   bi.NumStmt,
-				Count:     bi.Count + bj.Count,
-			})
-			i++
-			j++
-		} else if bi.StartLine < bj.StartLine || bi.StartLine == bj.StartLine && bi.StartCol < bj.StartCol {
-			output.Blocks = append(output.Blocks, bi)
-			i++
-		} else {
-			output.Blocks = append(output.Blocks, bj)
-			j++
-		}
-	}
-
-	for ; i < len(p1.Blocks); i++ {
-		output.Blocks = append(output.Blocks, p1.Blocks[i])
-	}
-
-	for ; j < len(p2.Blocks); j++ {
-		output.Blocks = append(output.Blocks, p2.Blocks[j])
-	}
-
-	return &output
-}
-
-func print(profiles []*cover.Profile) {
-	fmt.Println("mode: atomic")
-	for _, profile := range profiles {
-		for _, block := range profile.Blocks {
-			fmt.Printf("%s:%d.%d,%d.%d %d %d\n", profile.FileName, block.StartLine, block.StartCol,
-				block.EndLine, block.EndCol, block.NumStmt, block.Count)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-// Copied from https://github.com/golang/tools/blob/master/cover/profile.go
-type byFileName []*cover.Profile
-
-func (p byFileName) Len() int           { return len(p) }
-func (p byFileName) Less(i, j int) bool { return p[i].FileName < p[j].FileName }
-func (p byFileName) Swap(i, j int)      { p[i], p[j] = p[j], p[i] }
-
-func main() {
-	outputProfiles := map[string]*cover.Profile{}
-	for _, input := range os.Args[1:] {
-		inputProfiles, err := cover.ParseProfiles(input)
-		if err != nil {
-			panic(fmt.Sprintf("Error parsing %s: %v", input, err))
-		}
-		for _, ip := range inputProfiles {
-			op := outputProfiles[ip.FileName]
-			if op == nil {
-				outputProfiles[ip.FileName] = ip
-			} else {
-				outputProfiles[ip.FileName] = merge(op, ip)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	profiles := make([]*cover.Profile, 0, len(outputProfiles))
-	for _, profile := range outputProfiles {
-		profiles = append(profiles, profile)
-	}
-	sort.Sort(byFileName(profiles))
-	print(profiles)
-}
diff --git a/tools b/tools
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..caecc98f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit caecc98fa89c7115dd78b20912842ee592d7439d